Aṅguttara Nikāya
Sattaka Nipāta
IV. Devatā Vagga

The Book of the Sevens

Chapter IV: Devas

Sutta 31

Appamāda-Gārava Suttaṃ

Earnestness

[16]

THUS have I heard:

Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

Now as night advanced a deva,
whose surpassing loveliness lit up almost the whole of Jeta Grove,
visited the Exalted One,
saluted and stood at one side;
and so standing,
the deva spoke thus:

'Lord, these seven things lead not to a monk's decline.

What seven?

Reverence for the Master,
for Dhamma,
for the Order,
the training,
for concentration,
earnestness
and for goodwill.

Indeed, lord, these seven things lead not to a monk's decline.'

■

Thus spake that deva
and the Master approved;
and seeing this,
the deva saluted the Exalted One
and passed out on the right.

And when the night was over,
the Exalted One addressed the monks:

Monks, this night a deva,
whose surpassing loveliness lit up almost the whole of Jeta Grove,
visited,
saluted and stood at one side;
and so standing,
the deva spoke thus:

'Lord, these seven things lead not to a monk's decline.

What seven?

Reverence for the Master,
for Dhamma,
for the Order,
the training,
for concentration,
earnestness
and for goodwill.

Indeed, lord, these seven things lead not to a monk's decline.'

■

Thus spake that deva, Monks,
and I approved;
and seeing this,
the deva saluted
and passed out on the right.

[17] Deep reverence for the Master, Dhamma, Order;
The training, concentration, earnestness
And goodwill keenly held in high esteem:¹
Not thus can monk decline; he's nigh the cool.²

¹ Cf. A. iii, 330 ff..; D. iii, 244.